Henrik Sedin, Ryan Kesler missing as Canucks prepare for Blues

Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun02.24.2014

Ryan Kesler (left) and Henrik Sedin, celebrating a Kesler goal during a Oct. 22, 2013 NHL game against the New York Islanders in Uniondale, N.Y., were both absent from Vancouver Canucks practice on Monday as the team prepares for the resumption of play after the Olympic break with a visit from the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday.Bruce Bennett
/ Getty Images

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VANCOUVER — This much we know: the Vancouver Canucks will begin their post-Olympic stretch run on Wednesday night against the St. Louis Blues.

Just who will be in the lineup that night is not nearly so clear.

Captain Henrik Sedin was absent from Monday’s practice for personal reasons and will also miss Tuesday’s practice. Coach John Tortorella said he hopes Sedin will be back for Wednesday night’s game (7:30 p.m., Sportsnet Pacific, Team 1040).

Second-line centre Ryan Kesler returned from the Sochi Olympics with some kind of hand injury and was sent Monday for tests. Tortorella said Kesler is day to day.

Defenceman Kevin Bieksa, recovering from a right foot injury, did not skate Monday. Tortorella said the team decided to give Bieksa a day’s rest in hopes he will be able to play against the Blues.

Fellow defenceman Chris Tanev (hand) almost certainly won’t play, while winger Alex Burrows (hand) could join the main group for Tuesday’s practice.

They’ll need 20 for Wednesday’s game. Olympians Dan Hamhuis, Roberto Luongo, Daniel Sedin and Alex Edler all returned to Vancouver on Monday and — knock on wood — will be available to play against the Blues.

The Canucks did call up centre Kellan Lain from the AHL’s Utica Comets on Monday and may have to summon more reinforcements depending on the status of Henrik Sedin, Kesler and the other injured players.

Kesler spent some time at Rogers Arena on Monday morning, but was sent out for tests, including a MRI, on his right hand. Kesler is believed to have hurt it blocking a shot by Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk in a Feb. 15 game.

“I haven’t talked to Kes, we’ll see how he is tomorrow,” Tortorella said. “I am not overly worried about him missing a couple of days of practice. We’ll still have the morning skate on Wednesday … we’ll see how he is tomorrow morning.”

Tortorella said head trainer Mike Burnstein sent Kesler out for tests after meeting with him on Monday.

“I think Bernie is going to put him through the whole nine yards,” Tortorella said. “He is getting everything checked and we’ll see what it looks like and then we’ll see him tomorrow.”

Bieksa worked out off the ice with skills coach Glenn Carnegie on Monday. He skated with the team in Friday’s practice, started Saturday’s practice but left early after experiencing soreness. The Canucks had the day off on Sunday.

“We just wanted to give him another day off,” Tortorella said. “After the skate (on Saturday) he was sore and again our whole mindset is try and get him ready to play that game on Wednesday and we figured the extra day would help him. He’ll be on the ice with us (Tuesday).”

Burrows and Tanev skated by themselves before Monday’s practice. Tortorella said Tanev is highly doubtful for Wednesday’s game, but the team is hoping Burrows could be ready.

“He could be with us tomorrow,” Tortorella said of Burrows.

Tortorella and his staff are trying to make the best of what is certainly not an ideal situation, with all the missing bodies. They had a lengthy video session with the players on Monday that delayed the scheduled 11 a.m. start of practice by about 45 minutes.

“All the injured guys were in our meeting today,” Tortorella said. “I thought today was a really productive day with our video … to have all the injured guys in there was important.

“It is what it is. All the teams are going through it. I think we are kind of doubled up with our injuries still, but we just have to move forward here and keep trying to prepare the best we can with the numbers that we have.”

The Canucks will begin their final 22 games in 10th place in the West. If it takes 95 points to finish inside the top eight in the West, Vancouver must finish the season on a 14-4-4- run. The Canucks have lost their last seven games in regulation.

Tortorella does not want to look that far ahead.

“We have to concentrate on each day, on the points that we are trying to get across that day and keep banging away that way,” he said. “And we’ll see where we land come the middle of April.”

The players are anxious to start playing games.

“Today’s practice was the toughest so far because we had fewer bodies,” said winger Tom Sestito. “I can’t wait for the games. You won’t hear any complaints from me about playing three in four nights.”

“We have to look at it almost like a whole new mini-season for us,” added centre Jordan Schroeder. “It’s going to be tight right down to the end so we have to be ready and start playing playoff-type hockey right from the get-go.”

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